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Airfare Expert: Don't let blackout dates ground you

Rick Seaney, special for USA TODAY
11:25 p.m. EST January 8, 2013

Airlines can target popular dates and cities with restrictions strategically for high-profile events, such as early February in New Orleans, when the city will host the Super Bowl.(Photo: Gerald Herbert, AP)

Story Highlights

Airlines charge more for dates or days of the week they know fliers find desirable

Savings tip: Fly early on the holiday itself or several days before or after the holiday

Get around blackout-city restrictions by looking for deals to nearby airports

Your favorite airline is having a sale. You hurry to snag some tickets only to discover every date you want to fly is excluded from the promotion.

Alas, this is business as usual. Airlines know the dates or days of the week you'll happily fly with no extra incentive. And if passengers will pay more, airlines will charge more.

Some airlines don't even bother with the phrase "blackout dates," possibly because it smacks of overkill when five days out of a week are blacked out (many sales are good for Tuesday and Wednesday flights only). Be flexible enough to fly on the sale days, or at least one of those days and you'll reap some savings.

Other airlines keep you guessing. The fine print on Frontier's recent Black Friday sale stated, "Seats are limited at these fares and certain flights and/or days of travel may be unavailable especially during busy travel periods." Translation: Expect lots of blackout dates, plus blacked-out flight times, meaning it will be harder to get a seat during the most popular times to fly. When you see such disclaimers, it's imperative that you shop an airfare comparison site. You may find better deals elsewhere, particularly on the blackout dates.

What about holiday sales?

Blackout dates for Southwest's recent Thanksgiving-specific sale included Nov. 21, 24 and 25 - the very days most holiday travelers probably wanted to fly - but perhaps the airline scored PR points for offering any kind of Turkey Day deals at all. Your best bet for savings: Fly early on the holiday itself or several days before or after the holiday. If that's impossible use a flexible date search on an airfare comparison site to see the cheapest days to fly in a holiday period.

What if I have to fly on a blackout date?

The cost difference can range between a moderate bump to a huge leap. A recent United sale featured flights from Los Angeles to Denver for $236 round trip; on that sale's blackout dates, prices ranged from a not-so-bad $247 to almost double the sale price. On Europe deals, you can pay anywhere from about $150 to $350 more for blackout-day flights.

Can airlines also black out special events?

Yes, and it can be a matter of blackout dates and blackout cities. American Airlines' recent winter sale specifically excluded New Orleans in early February, site of Super Bowl XLVII; it also excluded the popular game-day viewing venue of Las Vegas. That same sale also put Washington, D.C. off limits in late January, just in time for the presidential inauguration. Get around these restrictions by looking for deals to nearby airports like Baton Rouge or Gulfport for the Super Bowl, or Baltimore for the inaugural festivities.